50 of Greatness 1960
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MERIDIAN STREET FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER www.meridianstreetfoundation.net WINTER 2010 YEARS of greatness 1960 5050 2010 PRESIDENT’S MESSAgE By John Countryman, President As I write my first president’s our neighbors who have answered the Raul Burciaga, our Secretary, message, the Indianapolis Colts have call to get involved as board members, continues to serve as our property tax just secured their second trip to the committee members, volunteers coordinator. As each of us enters the Superbowl in just four years. While and contributors. In the 2 ½ years November ballot, be sure to exercise the enthusiasm experienced on such that I have served our board, I have your right to vote your opinion on the an accomplishment varies from one witnessed an organization that works Constitutional Amendment to include person to the next, the consistent hard, is well prepared, is passionate Property Tax Caps. I believe that our commitment to excellence required about our neighborhood and that community’s efforts and abilities to to achieve the Colts’ record setting cares deeply for our community. organize the protests at the governor’s decade for most wins is hard to debate. These “success-determinants” are mansion two short years ago, continue As a fan, these statistical successes are essential to an organization whether to serve as the ‘shot heard round the very exciting. As a father and proud it be an NFL team or a neighborhood city’ with regards to this referendum. citizen of Indianapolis, the manner organization such as ours. Although Finally, please take advantage of the in which they have achieved this my time on the board has been shorter opportunity to gather with neighbors success is so much more important. than some others with whom I serve, you may already know and to meet My experience is that this is an the leadership provided by recent neighbors you may not know at our organization that consistently works presidents including Stacey McCarthy, annual events beginning with our hard, is well prepared, is passionate John Peoni, Virginia Handley, Kathy 50th Anniversary Kick-off Party in about their team’s success and cares Shorter, Cindy Zweber-Free and Elaine March, Easter Egg Hunt in April, about their community. Summer Picnic in June and The Colts experience Annual meeting in October. is an intergenerational “While the battle to preserve the residential nature and While the preservation of experience that I am proud our homes and streets is to share with my children historical beauty of our neighborhood began fifty years ago, essential to the mission and that will be enjoyed this overwhelming success story continues to be written today” of the Meridian Street by their great-grandmother Foundation, the people come February 7th. that I have had the pleasure So what does all of this to know who make up our have to do with the Meridian Street Klein, to name a few, in addition to great neighborhood are the single Foundation? While the Colts have the more than twenty board members largest factor that have prevented displayed the aforementioned qualities and countless volunteers that serve, me from opting for the suburban and brought pride to our city over support and contribute to our efforts commute, so I strongly encourage you the last ten years, this year marks each and every year serves as the to join us for one or all of our events the 50th year of the Meridian Street foundation for the work that we in 2010. Foundation’s work to responsibly have accomplished over the past half I am grateful to my fellow board preserve and protect one of the very century and that we will accomplish in members, our volunteers and our best streets and neighborhoods in the the decades to come. member families for their contribution country. In the year ahead, know that our of time, talent and treasure. I am While the battle to preserve the Public Safety Committee, lead by honored to be serving the Meridian residential nature and historical our Vice-President Sheila Little, is Street Foundation and look forward beauty of our neighborhood began working hard in coordination with to continuing the stewardship of our fifty years ago, this overwhelming the city’s police department to address neighborhood and community that success story continues to be written and to respond to what appears to be the Meridian Street Foundation began1 today. The writers of this history are increased crime in our neighborhood. 50 years ago. MERIDIAN STREET Foundation; ThE FIRST hAlF CENTURy by Bernard Frechtman Driving south on Meridian Street from Westfield Boulevard or north from 40th street, you enter an enclave of early 20th century houses that have maintained their stately beauty into the 21st century. How does that happen? Fifty years of active participation by neighborhood residents organized for that purpose through the Meridian Street Foundation is the answer. And how did that come about? Among the great events of 1960 John F. Kennedy was elected President, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, Pittsburgh beat the New York Yankees in the World Series, Hollywood produced The Apartment and Psycho, To Kill a Mockingbird was a best seller and the Meridian Street Foundation In 1899 these stone towers and archways marked the entrance to a real estate subdivision called Meridian Heights at 46th and Meridian. Today, if you were standing on the spot from which this was organized. picture was taken, you’d be in the middle of Meridian Street, looking north. The tall tower is gone and Those world events were going on only a few heaps of stones mark the locations of the archways. (Photo Contributed by Walter M. Ross) when the people living on Meridian In 1969 when road builders were the Public Safety/Traffic Committee, Street organized to preserve the set to widen North Meridian Street, which works to keep neighbors safe by neighborhood and to protect against angry local residents physically stood focusing on crime prevention through the encroachment of undesirable in their way to stop that expansion. a block-by-block crime watch program building construction that had already And in 1971 after the construction and a constant dialogue with the local caused the deterioration of properties of Tarkington Tower, the Meridian police; the Beautification Committee on Meridian Street below 38th Street. Street Foundation, was motivated to works by organizing programs to Historically Meridian Street began get the State Legislature to establish encourage maintaining beautiful lawns emerging as a prestigious residential the Meridian Street Preservation and the planting of trees; providing address going back as far as 1880. By Commission. The commission would seasonal décor for the holiday season 1915 seventy-eight houses had been be charged with enforcing the standards and special occasions; the Land built between Fall Creek and 38th supported by State Statute that required Use Committee assists homeowners street. In 1920, recognizing the need home owners to seek approval for any by reviewing their applications to to preserve the residential nature of exterior alterations of their homes. the Meridian Street Preservation the neighborhood the residents formed Thus ensuring the preservation of Commission prior to hearings, and the Meridian Street Association “… the integrity of the architechture and making recommendations to the to promote economic interests by the single-family residential character Commission regarding applications. shielding and advancing aesthetic of Meridian Street and surrounding The MSF also maintains a website for values…” of Meridian Street between neighborhoods. the neighborhood to keep residents 40th street and Westfield Boulevard. The Meridian Street Foundation, that informed of important information Between 1920 and the 1960’s houses on this year is celebrating 50 years of that affects each resident in the area lower Meridian Street were beginning existence, provides the organizational and is responsible for the publication to give way to conversion to apartment structure (through its members of this newsletter which goes to over houses and commercial enterprises. and activities) to create a cohesive 700 residents. Additionally, MSF was Additionally, developers sought to take community spirit that maintains the instrumental in the establishment advantage of the zoning that allowed for impetus to keep Meridian Street of HARMONI, which seeks to make medium to high-rise apartments. And corridor in its ongoing well maintained physical improvements to various so began the commercialism of lower standard of appearance. In addition parts of the neighborhoods with Meridian Street below 38th that led to to being a watchdog of the standards in the Meridian Street Foundation the tearing down of well established for the neighborhood the MSF has boundaries. historic homes and the conversion of involved itself in other aspects of So the organization that was created to homes into businesses. In an effort to community life that helps to create a fight the downgrading of the Meridian preserve what had become the city’s spirit of community. These programs are Street area has moved forward to an premier neighborhood, the Meridian conducted through various committees active program of total community Street Foundation was founded in 2 within the Foundation that include: participation. 1960. What CAN WE DO ABOUT OUR SAFETy? By Marilyn Strawbridge, member, Safety Committee We are all aware that our which community policing relies. neighborhoods. This effort designates neighborhood is experiencing an Officer Castor emphasizes it is with specific blocks which are organized increase in burglaries. Even though we these combined efforts that we will by a block captain for the purpose may feel particularly vulnerable, the catch the individuals committing these of deterring crime. Meetings are truth is that this happens everywhere, crimes. Police officers will come to held periodically to discuss specific not just in our fair neighborhood.